


All's well that ends well.

by GimmeADamnMic



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Demon Freed AU, M/M, Raijinshuu - Freeform, Tiny bit of Angst, aka an abusive asshole, it's an au but ive got no name for it, it's emotional abuse, mostly soft fluff, u can skip to 'the well that apparantly harbours a demon' if you wanna avoid him, warning for ivan in the beginning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-22 12:03:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21301751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GimmeADamnMic/pseuds/GimmeADamnMic
Summary: Whispers about the well in the woods have been following Laxus since his early childhood. Warnings to not go there are being repeated every morning, even by his grandfather, who is by no means an easily impressed man. That more than anything keeps Laxus away from the place shrouded in mystery, until his decaying health brings him to the much talked about place anyway.He's no older than nine when his father grabs him by arm and drags him out of the house. If he weren't coughing his lungs out, he might've protested. But as is, a black mist is dancing in front of his eyes and he can't stop sweating. For now, he'll close his eyes. His father might do a lot of hurtful things when Makarov isn't around, but he's never killed him before (his fever-muddled thoughts don't pick up that that's quite logical), so it won't happen now, right?
Relationships: Laxus Dreyar/Freed Justine
Comments: 3
Kudos: 60





	All's well that ends well.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello y'all! Feel free to leave me requests on my tumblr: fairiesherefairiesthere . It might take a while before I write it bc school, but I love creating content for these two.

Whispers about the well in the woods have been following Laxus since his early childhood. Warnings to not go there are being repeated every morning, even by his grandfather, who is by no means an easily impressed man. That more than anything keeps Laxus away from the place shrouded in mystery, until his decaying health brings him to the much talked about place anyway. 

He's no older than nine when his father grabs him by arm and drags him out of the house. If he weren't coughing his lungs out, he might've protested. But as is, a black mist is dancing in front of his eyes and he can't stop sweating. For now, he'll close his eyes. His father might do a lot of hurtful things when Makarov isn't around, but he's never killed him before (his fever-muddled thoughts don't pick up that that's quite logical), so it won't happen now, right? 

"Demon!" His father's bellowing snaps him out of his slumbering state and for a moment, he thinks his father is talking to him. After all, he's called Laxus a greedy money-sucking demon of a child before, so it wouldn't be that strange. Picking himself up from the ground his father dumped him on, he starts to take notice of his surroundings. His suspicions get confirmed when he sees the infamous well. 

"Dad", he says nervously, tugging on his father's pants. "We're not supposed to be here, gramps says it's dangerous." Tsk'ing, his father gives him a swat. "Don't be a coward Laxus, I know you've got more potential in you than that." 

Potential. Such a strange a word. His father uses it often, describing qualities he wished Laxus would have. Laxus wonders why he isn't enough yet. 

"Your grandfather is a fool without ambitions. All that lurks in the depths of this murky water hole is a demon, who can grant your every wish. Of course you must pay a price in return, but that's only fair, right?" He waits for Laxus to agree before he continues his spiel. "So I'm going to ask it to make you a healthy boy. Aren't I a good father? Makarov knows about this demon too, but he would rather let you die than take a risk himself. The only one who cares about you, is me." 

When his father puts it like that, there's no way that Laxus can disagree with him and little moments like this make him remember why he keeps loving his father with such fervor (desperation). It's because his father truly loves him and wants the best for him. 

"So go to that well and ask to get better", his father orders him and Laxus briefly hesitates. When his father catches his questioning gaze, he scoffs. "Did you think I'd ask for you? I just explained, didn't I? It's give and take and we're here for you, not me. Be responsible."

The well that apparently harbours a demon, doesn't look all that threatening. The grey stones reveal nothing about the monster that lurks in the debts of those murky waters, but when Laxus trails his fingers over the edge, purple writing starts to light up. Because Laxus can't really peak over the edge, his father picks him up and places him right on top of the ledge. Before he can ask his question, he falls in and the water engulfs him, dragging him down. 

When he comes to, it's completely dark around him. "State your reason for being here", a voice echoes through the space and there's no quality Laxus can describe to the voice, but he does know what it said. Probably magic. "I uh...", he gathers his courage. "I'd like to be healthy", he demands, before adding a meek "please" (Makarov said that one should always say please). 

"Should I grant you your wish, what could you give me in return?" 

He thinks about that and comes to the conclusion that he doesn't have an awful lot of things to offer and his father surely wouldn't chip in. "Is there something you particularly want?" 

A laugh makes Laxus' bones rattle and the demon speaks up again. "Aren't you awfully naïve? You don't ask a demon what it wants, because it's never something you can provide." 

"You've gotta be a bit realistic, demon, I'm nine. I don't have a large fortune or a firstborn child."

There's a bit of silence. Then : "Fair enough. Here's the deal, every evening you bring me a share of your dinner and a sip of your drink. Should you fail to live up to this, then your health will not only go back to its former state, it will also noticeably worsen and you'll have to offer me something new on top of that to placate me." 

"..."

"Yeah, tremble in front of this offer." 

"How old are you?" The question slips out his mouth without Laxus' permission, but he doesn't regret letting it. "That sounds like a stupidly simple thing, what are you, five? I might be the frailest kid in town, but I bet that even I'd bully you if you were a human child." 

The darkness shatters and falls around him, with the sound of a thousand glasses breaking. A dark mass with one glowing purple eye approaches him and as Laxus scrambles to get away, the thing screeches: "I.AM.SIX." It's that irked declaration, combined with a high, childish voice that erases Laxus' fear completely and he bursts out laughing. 

Apparently, the dark mass doesn't like this very much, as nearly a second later Laxus finds himself having a scratch on his eye. "Don't fool around. Do you take my graceful offer or not?" The high voice is still laughably childish, but there's an icy quality to it that makes Laxus' blood freeze in his veins. "I'll take it", he whispers and offers his hand. The demon doesn't take it, but Laxus suddenly finds himself standing next to the well, his father nowhere in sight and his right eye hurting like hell. 

Against the odds, Laxus returns home. His father is pleased with the development and his grandfather is angry. Whatever, the man doesn't care about him anyway. He isn't too sure his father does either, so without offering either of them an explanation, he returns to his room. When it's time for dinner, he sets a portion aside and later in the evening, he brings it to the well. 

A few days later, he brings another plate to the well and sighs when he sees all the plates from the days before, still filled with food. "You know", he says out loud, "If I have to travel here everyday, you might as well eat it. I haven't poisoned it or anything." For a moment nothing happens, but then the water starts rippling and the demon crawls out of the well as graceful as he can, which isn't anywhere near graceful at all.

Eyes full of lingering suspicion, the greenhaired child munches on some of the freshest food. "Dinner without companionship is a lonely, unbecoming affair", he mutters and Laxus feels a bit of sympathy for this lonely creature. He's not human, his too pale skin, purple glowing eye and horns would never allow him to fit in and the sight of his grotesque teeth would scare anyone off. "Don't you have parents?"

"No", the creature simply answers. "I'm born out of superstition and six years ago, I was given a definite form by a man who had a wish that cost him his life." 

No more words are spoken that night, but from then on, Laxus tells the demon little anecdotes from his own life. Not too long after that, the demon hesitantly takes part in the formerly one-sided conversations and Laxus comes to learn that his name is Freed Justine, which is quite an ironic name as the demon is shackled to the well and the townsfolk love to call him a liar and a scammer, unlike his last name suggests. Over the years, he starts thinking of him as a friend. 

"Freed", he hesitantly starts, "can we make another deal?" He's twenty and he hasn't ever left his hometown and so, he's been surrounded by the same people his whole life. Freed, who had been sunbathing on the edge of his well with a content face, comes to face him with a stern expression. 

"What do you want so badly that you turn to demonic magic?" the boy asks, clearly disapproving. "Friends", he answers and completely misses the way the other boy's face crumples. "Adventure. A life outside this city." 

"You'd have to give me something pretty big in return", Freed muses as he shoots Laxus a glance from underneath his eyelashes. "Considering you wouldn't be able to fulfill your first deal, should you leave this town."

"Ah shit." 

"This is why you don't strike deals with demons buddy, it never ends in your favour." Rolling his eyes, Laxus gives Freed a noogie. As the demon protests, Laxus sighs deeply. "What did I say about teenage demon angst?" Freed looks at him from underneath a mess of green locks. "To not do it?"

"Correct." As Freed sighs dramatically because he's an insufferable attention hog, Laxus notices the setting sun. "I should go home, see ya tomorrow." Freed gives him a small wave in return. "See ya." 

The following day, Freed hands him a pen. "Write me when you go", is all he says and Laxus has to press for more information. "You want to go, right? Just write me a letter every evening. You do not have to post it, all you have to do is pretend we're actually talking and I'll get the gist of it. Put just as much care and attention in those letters, they will be a replacement for the food. Now for the second wish..."

Laxus waits with baited breath, as he's not dealing with his friend right now. Now it's the demon talking him into a deal and he knows that he's going to take it regardless. "Every bond you make, every friendship you strike..." He waits for a moment, before he pokes Laxus in the chest. "Tell me about them when you get back." 

"For someone so feared, your deals suck."

"Shut up and go already, loser." Before doing exactly that, Laxus turns to Freed to hug him. It doesn't work out like he wants it to, because he falls straight through his friend's form. The boy sends a bemused smile his way. "I don't have my own physical form, I'm only an idea. A need for miracles personified." 

"That sounds afwul." 

"Eh, it's whatever. Now Laxus Dreyar, state your wish." Whenever Freed practices his magic, the purple in his right eye turns so intense that Laxus forgets to breathe for a minute. "I wish to go out of this town, go on adventures and meet my own band of ridiculous but beloved friends."

"I hear your wish and in return, I'll share those adventures through tales you'll tell me." They clasp hands and Laxus' shoulder itches and burns. When he takes a peek at it, it's now decorated with a jetblack tattoo. "I improved my craft", Freed explains before he ushers Laxus to go. 

A year later Laxus returns, with a friend in tow. "You guys really don't have to follow me, you know", he mutters as his newfound friend claps him on the back. "No way man!" the blue-haired eccentric exclaims. "I wanna know your deepest, darkest secrets. Spill em, baby." 

"Hello there", Freed greets him warmly and regards his companion with interest. "Who do we have here?" 

"Introduce yourself, moron", Laxus says while giving Bickslow a push in Freed's direction. "To who?" the man asks incredulous. "There's no one here buddy." As Bickslow scans the place in search of human life, Freed shrugs. "He hasn't struck a deal with me and he isn't planning to either. Physically manifesting is draining, so you'll have to tell the tales of your journey to the air."

Right at that moment, Bickslow jumps on the edge of the well, right next to Freed and stares him dead in the eye. "There." He pauses and Freed whispers: "I'm scared." Tilting his head, but never breaking eye contact, Bickslow reaches out. Before he can poke Freed's forehead with his index finger, the other grabs him by the collar and dumps him on the floor. 

"Awtch, your entity isn't all too friendly. Do you think it'd let me see him?" Before Laxus can answer, the both of them have vanished into thin air. 

It takes three hours before they show up again, Bickslow with a new tattoo. On his face. Like, smack-dab in the middle. "Why?" he asks Freed and the demon shrugs. "He wanted it." Laxus doesn't know if that's entirely right, but they're both weird enough to let things like that happen. "Anyway", he sighs, "want to hear about our adventures?" While telling stories, Laxus notices that Bickslow isn't fiddling with one of his dolls as per usual. Freed does absentmindedly dig it up during their conversation and Laxus can't help but notice that he's never had to pay with something so dear to him. 

Another year later, their group has grown again and Bickslow is already bullying Evergreen with tales of the 'super scary demon' that was going to snatch her soul for sure. Sadly enough he's sputtering all of this nonsense within Freed's earshot, so Laxus doesn't feel sorry when the water splashes over the edge of the well and drags him down to his depths. 

"Oh my god!" Evergreen screams and Laxus stops her before she can jump right after Bickslow (she might deny it, but she loves her brother in all but blood to death). "They're just roughhousing", he explains and surely, Bickslow gets spit out by the well and lands rather painfully. 

Freed's head peaks up from his well, but he doesn't move to get out of it. "I'm tired", he mutters with his mouth under water, which makes his words sound like bubbling water. Patting his head, Laxus offers his sympathy. "Not a lot of jobs lately?" The demon shakes his head and Laxus feels for him. Freed looks kind of awful at the moment.

"You guys should've told me that you hallucinate in sync, then maybe I could've prepared myself for it", Evergreen says in a snappy tone and Laxus shakes his head. "We're not hallucinating, we're talking to the demon", he says and points at a waving Freed. 

"Right." Evergreen gives him an unimpressed look before rolling her eyes. "I'll believe you because Bickslow is a nutjob. Hey demon!" she yells in the well and Freed mutters: "Why does everyone keep yelling at me? I can hear perfectly fine, thank you very much." The two of them disappear and reappear in the same fashion he and Bickslow did a year ago. Now, Freed's hair is held together with the elegant flower hairpin made out of jade Evergreen had gotten from her mother. In return her ankle is decorated with a floral design. Once again he shuts up about the price. 

Later that evening, it's just the two of them and looking at Freed sitting peacefully underneath the moonlight, eyes shining with serenity, Laxus can't help but notice how handsome he is. He files that thought away for later. "Hey Freed", he muses while looking at the starry sky, "What would it cost to have you travel with us?" 

When he doesn't get an answer, he turns to face his friend. His eyes are wide with disbelief and he closes his formerly open mouth with an audible click. "I don't know Laxus. That would cost me more magic than mere objects can offer and please, do not ask me to take more than that from you." Freed looks so sad at the thought of that, that Laxus swallows down his offers to do exactly that. "Okay", he says, but the thought won't leave his head at all. 

The next morning he gets dragged back to the well, who both declared "Well that won't do!" when he had told them about his conversation with Freed the evening before. "Hello, we're here with a four way deal", Evergreen declares and Bickslow adds : "It's like an orgy! Just as magical, just way less sexy." 

"Hey, I hate you", Evergreen bites back, before turning back to Freed. "Draw the magic you need from us three, that would lessen the load on each individual. Could that work?" 

"It could work, I think", Freed hesitates and Laxus throws him his headphones (he used to use those to ignore the sound of his father and grandfather fighting, they're irreplacable to him). "Here, since I've never given you an actual object. Work your magic demon boy, we're leaving today." 

They all notice that this deal takes quite the toll on them. Every night they're asleep faster than one could say 'demon' and throughout the day, they also often get tired. But it's worth it, as Freed looks happier than he's ever seen him and he gets excited whenever he learns something new. He still doesn't have an actual body though, as that would take a too big toll on his friends. Freed, Bickslow and Evergreen also share a bond that Laxus would describe as familial and more often than not, those three brats gang up on him (he loves them).

Whatever the relationship between Freed and himself is, he doesn't quite know. They're closer to each other than the others, because of their earlier established friendship and because of something else Laxus can't quite name. But when he's feeling down, he knows Freed'll be there to cheer him up and whenever Freed has a new idea to trap another human being inside a cage of double edge words, he sends Laxus this particularly mischievous smile and without exchanging words, Laxus knows what he's about to do and he smiles back. The way they deal with each other is filled to the brim with wordless, nearly effortless communication and fond gestures. 

It's the day of Laxus twenty-third birthday when he knows what he's feeling for Freed. They're strolling through some quiet town and Freed, choosing not to be visible to anyone but Laxus, has taken on the task of dramatically and sarcastically narrating the life of the villagers. While the man's particularly engrossed in a tale he made up about the baker's son, the sun hits him from behind, encompassing him in a golden halo as he unattractively snorts at his own very bad pun. Laxus has never desired another quite as much as he does now. 

He doesn't tell Freed that day, but he puts more attention in their interactions, in his gaze and if he could, he thinks he wouldn't be able to stop trading innocent little touches with Freed. But although Freed has confirmed that he too, loves Laxus (it's a big word, but he'd never use it in any other way), he has also been keeping a distance between them. A confrontation that's less than pretty (from both sides) reveals that Freed doesn't want to start a relationship if he can't fully commit to it. 

"Laxus", he says with a wavering voice, "my heart, my soul, my love, it's all yours. But none of these are things I truly possess, I have nothing I can physically offer you. Would you like for a mirage, a cheap imitation of a human, to tell you that you are loved by it? It wouldn't even be able to accompany you at all times, unless you (or your friends) pay it with your very own lifeforce. Please, do think of yourself." 

If Laxus were to think of himself, he'd press the matter and repeat to Freed that he loves him every damn day. But thinking of Freed and the misery it'd bring him, he drops the matter and doesn't do that. Since he can't erase the words of appreciation from his mind, he writes them all down. How smart he thinks the other is, how cunning, how funny, how much he appreciates Freed's soft heart (even though the demon denies it every time), how easily he cries at stupid romantic books when no one's looking and how much like a reward it feels when Laxus makes him smile. Every day he writes those feelings down, with the pen Freed had given him a few years ago, forgetting that the object still carries the gist of his ramblings to Freed. 

Laxus is twenty-seven and on his way to the well with his band of friends (they've made a tradition of visiting it once a year), when tragedy strikes. They're resting, tired from the journey they've made and Laxus is about to take a nap when Freed appears in his peripheral vision. He's wearing a too wide grin when he asks if Laxus is hot. "Of course I am, it's July and way too fucking hot", he complains and freezes when Freeds snaps his fingers, dumping him straight into the nearby river. 

When he rejoins his group, Freed's still laughing at him, but stops when an object meets the ground with an irony clink. It's Ever's hairpin and the woman bristles at Freed. "Man, that thing is important to me!" she yells, but Freed doesn't seem to hear her. It's because Laxus is standing in front of him that he sees the purple light dying in Freed's eye and as he reaches out to him, the demon falls right through his arms and disappears, leaving nothing behind but the hairpin, the doll and Laxus' own headphones. It happens so fast, that there's no chance for them to even say goodbye. 

Stunned, the three of them watch the objects and it's Bickslow who snaps them out of their stupour. "The well", he says, "something must've happened with it." Although they've never found an explanation for it, Bickslow does seem to have an unusual sense for all things abnormal. As such, Laxus turns on his heels and sprints the last miles to the well, arriving to a scene of utter chaos.

The villagers he's known all his life have gone at the well with about every weapon they could find, leaving only a couple of stones behind. His grandfather, bless the man, is putting it back together stone by stone. Makarov however, is too small and lonely to make any difference and the destruction of the well proceeds far faster than the reparation process. 

The first sentence that stumbles out of his mouth is : "I thought you hated this place." Makarov scoffs at that and explains his reasoning rather loudly, intentionally attracting the attention of the crowd. "I don't hate this place, brat, nor the generations of demons that have housed here. People just need to keep the price for their wishes in mind and they seldom do, so it's easier to tell them to stay away. People love to complain about the consequences of their actions."

"We're not tearing this place down because of the prices that were paid!" a man yells and some woman continues: "Yeah, we're destroying it because this useless demon hasn't listened to our wishes for years! First he terrorises us and then he decides we're not worth his time? Away with the devil!" There's too many people to fight all at once and Laxus doesn't know how to stop this madness. He wishes he did. 

Oh. An idea forms inside his head, so stupid that he's almost certain it won't work as soon as his mind comes up with it. But Freed had always like to say that words and their implications matter and that one should keep all meanings of a single word in mind. So he moves to the remnants of the well. "Demon!" he bellows, knowing Freed absolutely hates 1. people yelling at him 2. one of his friends calling him by anything but his name. He hopes that it catches his attention.

"I've come to strike a deal!" he yells and the villagers halt their efforts to watch this spectacle. He's nervous as hell, but the sight of Bickslow and Evergreen, who finally caught up with him, does calm him down. "I offer you my life", he continues and he feels the air going static with magic. "I offer you my life and Freed Justine will live as a human being. It's a demand, not a wish."

"Are you crazy?" Finally Freed appears looking angry and Laxus can't help but smile. "Yeah. I offer you my life in the highest and most binding of contracts. My heart, my mind, my body it's all yours." While Freed looks more and more angry, Laxus drops to one knee. "Marry me", he simply says. "And live beside me as a human being." 

The magic in the air swells to a point where it's nearly unbearable and then it dissipates all at once. Freed is standing above him, smiling in that particular way when he thinks Laxus has been especially clever and it nearly makes Laxus' heart beat out of his chest. With a little sob, Freed collapses on his knees in front of him and Laxus has the luxury to be able to hold him. "Of course I'll marry you, crazy bastard. I love you." Freed doesn't hesitate to smash their lips together after that declaration and when the roughness makes place for a tenderness that Laxus has never felt before, he thinks he's so happy he might cry. Screw that, he's definitely crying. 

Evergreen dries her eyes in a sophisticated manner as Bickslow full-on bawls. Within seconds, he has grabbed Ever's hand and made a cuddle pile out of the four of them. Things aren't super comfortable because Evergreen's elbow is digging into his side, but they are definitely very, very good.

Well, things are about to get very, very good because they're still surrounded by villagers who want to see Freed dead. But they manage to escape the town because of Makarov being the most helpful grandfather in the world, who happened to have a carriage nearby. "Invite me to the ceremony, brats! And you better let me meet my new grandson before that, Laxus! Where are your manners?" he yells as they run towards the location he had given them.

Like on many of their other adventures, the four of them leave the town running, chased by an angry mob. But unlike all those other times, Laxus has a husband who presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth and whispers the sweetest words to him as their friends gag in the background.


End file.
